In The Wake of Rebirth
by BleedingSapphireShadows
Summary: Sebastian has refused to eat Ciel's soul, and instead given him the chance to be reincarnated. But the Shinigami have imprissioned him for it. Can Ciel save Sebastian from a terrible punishment?
1. Chapter 1

IN THE WAKE OF REBIRTH:

Bocchan…what have I done?

_I am one hell of a butler._

_Yes, my lord._

_I will always serve you._

_As a servant of the Phantomhive family, if I weren't able to save you, I would be a disgrace._

All the words I've said to you the most…but I never said the ones I _should_ have said the most.

_I love you, _so_ much…Ciel._

I won't cry. I won't cry. I won't show that kind of weakness.

I'm here in this cell, spending what could be my last days locked away without you. I could wind up dead tomorrow. And I'll never see you again. You'll never be able to set eyes on me or hear me say the words I was always to afraid to say.

Not that you will even if I'm set free. I've kissed you goodbye in my heart because I know I'll never find you out of all the millions of people in this world. I just wish I could have _really _kissed you goodbye. I _miss _you…_so_ much. But what hurts the most is that I'll never be able to tell you that to your face. I'll never smell your spicy, cinnamon-citrus scent again. I'll never hug you, carry you, never save you or lift your spirits high…

Never again.

But what other choice did I have? To tear out your soul, let it die in front of me, and eat it like it was just any other soul? I _tried_, bocchan. I _tried_, I _did_…. But I _couldn't_. Instead I set it free, a sapphire butterfly off to save itself and find a new body to inhabit.

I gave you the chance to be reincarnated. But even when I knew I'd be saying goodbye to you, I _still_ didn't have the guts to tell you, not _once_ in your life, that I love you. But I hope that giving your soul the chance to be reincarnated gives you my message. I'm paying what could be my life for it, and even though my efforts may be futile, I know you. You won't suffer the awful, agonizing fade to black and death of a regular soul. You've spent your whole life suffering, and you'll do anything to stop your pain. You'll cling to life. You'll find a new body and be reborn. I just hope you remember me fondly when your memories come back. Because even though I may only live for a few more days, I know _all_ of those days will have my brain filled to the brim with memories of you.

I'm so sorry bocchan…I've started to cry. I'm sorry. I just miss you so much, and I _want_ you so bad…

Please forgive me. For everything.

There's only one real hope for me. The Shinigami are debating over whether or not letting you be reincarnated is truly so bad they should kill me. But an overwhelming majority is saying it_ is_ worth death.

I'm so sorry that I've forced you to go on without me. I'm so sorry that I'll never be able to see you again, and that I've forced you to forgo ever having me beside you. I've given you a new life, but I've torn away your only protection: me. You were always so delicate…no wonder your soul was shaped like a butterfly. I just hope you survive without me.

I'll have faith in you. For your sake. You need someone to believe in you.

It's _myself_ I don't have much hope for. I'll be dead in two days or so. I can almost feel it, deep down in my far-too-old bones.

Guess every Magic Play has to end sometime. And mine's been going on for far too long anyway.

Why can't I seem to remember anything before I met you? Why have you taken away everything before you? I never had a master before you…is it because of our contract that you've eaten away at all that isn't you? You've taken over my mind…

But I love you, even if you want to pry me free of everything but your mark.

Please, actually…I _want_ to be branded as yours. Maybe Grell will back off if you claim me. Well…we can only hope, right?

I can hear footsteps. The doors are opening. I can hear the key turning in the lock.

"Sebastian Michaelis. I hope you realize just how much trouble you're in."

It's William. "Having death breathing down your neck tends to make you think you messed up pretty bad." I retorted.

"_Good_, because you _did_. You messed up _real_ bad. _Real, real, REAL _bad, Sebastian. Do you know how _serious_ this is? When a soul gets re-incarnated, it needs to find a body that doesn't already have a soul in it. AKA, a _defenseless, innocent, unborn_ child. And if it doesn't find one, it rots away until all that's left is nothingness. If it _does_ find an unborn child to reside in, the soul will either compete with the one the new born develops or it will consume the newborn entirely. If it competes, the person will likely be driven insane and develop two distinct split personalities – the newborn's and Ciel's. Considering Ciel's tragic life and young death, both souls will likely be corrupted with insanity, and we'll be forced to throw them both away upon death. That means we're out by _two_ souls."

"_Waaah."_ I would've chuckled at my display of immaturity if the mood wasn't so dark.

"SEABSTIAN! I didn't finish. Because he's been reincarnated, we'll also have to adjust the length of his Magic Play, and since we'll never get his soul back, his Magic Play will never stop playing, even after death. It will just continue on with blank whiteness, and if we don't keep lengthening it, it will disrupt all the other Magic Plays in our library. The only way we'll be able to stop that is if he takes over his new body entirely, in which case he'll turn into a DEMON, which means we still have to adjust his Magic Play's length _and_ change its binding."

I'm fixing him with a glare, "..._Waaah."_

"I don't appreciate that particular comment, Sebastian. The only alternative to this is if he somehow finds his way into his dead body. If he does, you'd better hope he does _before _he's buried, because _nobody _has ever survived clawing their way out of their own grave. Nobody's made it past the point where a literal ton of dirt slowly crushes them to death. And if he lives within his old body, he'll slowly, once again, turn into a demon. It will be DAYS of torture that will scar his very soul and that could turn out to be the death of him. If he miraculously survives, he'll never be able to continue life the way it was before once he's a demon, even though your contract will still be in effect. Now I hope you think long and hard about what you've taken the chance of doing to your master. You just made his death a HELL of a lot more complicated. I hope it's worth it if we decide to kill you. And let me tell you, it looks like we will. Try your best to have a good last few days of your life." William left, annoyed (much to my joy), the lock clicking back into place as he walked away.

Bocchan…

I know I've put your life in jeopardy…and I'm so sorry I'll be forcing you to become a demon to live. But it seems there might be hope for you yet, and I've given everything I possibly can to ensure you get a second chance.

Please take it, the second chance. I made it just for you…bocchan…

_Please_, Ciel, if you can hear me…if you're there…

I love you so much Ciel. Please don't forget me, and please, miss me a little bit when I'm gone. That's all I ask. After all I've given for you, my blood, my sweat, and now my tears, even my life for you…not to mention more than three years as your devoted butler…

Please, just understand how much I care about you, and return the affection a little bit. That's not too much to ask, right?

I never thought I'd feel so hollow without you.

GOD, Ciel, if you can hear me…

I'm sorry. But I love you. So please forgive me.

I just really want to hold you one last time….


	2. Chapter 2

What? Sebastian…my soul…you won't eat it?

But I thought you wanted to?

Wait…what's happening? Why are you setting me free?

I…I'm bodiless…I don't want to leave you…

Don't throw me away, Sebastian…

Not throwing me away? Second chance? But I'll lose you…you'll be gone forever…

Sebastian, please, don't set me free. I want to be with you.

What do you mean I can't stay?

Sebastian!

Wait, Sebastian!

…_PLEASE…wait…._

Please…

I love you, Sebastian…

_Please…._

-x-X-x- -x-X-x-

I can hear crying…I can see…I'm opening my eyes….

I'm in a box? What's with the flowers in my hand?

And…wait…

It's not a box. It's a casket.

I'm at my own funeral.

I don't care. I know they'll freak when I sit up and come back to life. But I need to find you. I _need_ you Sebastian. I know neither of us is prepared to live without the other.

Extreme flip out in 3…2…1.

'_The Earl! Oh my god! He's…alive!'_

'_What the bloody hell?'_

'_WHA-…_what_?'_

'_MASTER? YOU'RE ALIVE!'_

Finny? Maylene? Bard? And even Tanaka?

"Where's Sebastian?"

'_Sebastian-san? Oh no…master…'_

Oh my god…what happened?

'_Master…you might not want to know.'_

"Whether I want to or not, TELL ME. I NEED to find him. I'm NOT playing around. If he's in trouble, I'm _going_ to find him, got it? Now _where_ is he?"

'_M-master…' Finny seemed taken aback._

'_Master, there's nothing you can do. He's been taken prisoner by the Shinigami. They didn't even tell us why. They just took him away.' Tanaka said it with a bit of depression but still matter-of-factly._

Sebastian…what have you done?

I just hope you'll be okay. My worst nightmare is that you wind up dead because you tried to save me. I _need_ you Sebastian…please don't leave me…everyone else who means a lot to me has gone away, died, left me alone…please break that cycle of loneliness and despair…don't give up on me. You came to me when I needed you most. You were loyal and you sacrificed for me. Of course you mean a lot to me. So please…don't walk out of my life. Some people simply have to go, but I know you don't have to, and if you do, I swear I'll cling to you, and I'll never let you go.

Sebastian…I'll save you, just hang in there. Please. I love you.

I don't care if you committed some huge, awful crime…have faith in me…I still care…you've always been there for me, I _have _to care, I _want _to care…just once in my life I want to love someone the way my parents loved each other, and I want you to be the one who loves me.

I'm running down the aisle and out the doors. This is the same church my aunt, Madame Red, had her funeral in. I know where I am at least. But I don't know how to get to the Shinigami world…

Although…I _do_ know how to find out.

-X-x-X- -X-x-X-

"Undertaker?" I entered the shop.

No response as I took the first few steps in.

"Ah…Earl Phantomhive…what an unusual return from the dead you've had. Tell me, do you know how it happened? Do you know why you're breathing right now? Do you know who you have to thank?" the Undertaker came from the back room, finally bothering to show up.

"Sebastian. He's done something, and I'm betting that what he did saved me but got him in big trouble."

"_Big_ trouble?" the Undertaker chuckled, "Ladies and Gents, I present to you the _understatement_ of the _century_. Do you know what they're going to do to him? Do you know the punishment for allowing a soul to be reincarnated?"

So…that's what happened when he told me to leave and find a body…, "No. What is it?"

"Normally, it would be being beaten within an inch of your life, clubbed unconscious and bleeding like there's no end to that gorgeous crimson. But, in his case, considering the baggage your soul carries, and considering how much work will go into adapting your Magic Play, they're considering death. Seeing as how your Magic play might come to an abrupt end very soon, and that changing the binding of a Magic Play takes nearly all the Shinigami they have, if they don't get your soul this time around, Sebastian could be in for a painful execution."

My heart stopped.

Sebastian…what have you done?

"Undertaker…how do I get to the Shinigami world?"

"My my, did you hear what I said? Your Magic Play may be about to end. Don't you care?"

"Yes, I do. But it doesn't matter at all if I don't get Sebastian back. So how do I get there?"

"I'm curious, what do you plan on doing once you get there?"

"Whatever it takes to free Sebastian! Now tell me what I need to do!"

"Well, beings such as demons, shinigami, or angels can travel there rather easily. So perhaps you should wait. Although, Sebastian may not have more than a second left to live…if he _is_ still alive, that is-"

"CUT IT OUT. Quit toying with me. He means a lot to me, and if you're going to be more of a hindrance than a help, I might as well leave."

"Very well, very well. But it's true. This will be much less painful once you're a demon."

I wasn't surprised to be told I was going to become one. Reincarnation didn't happen every day. Odd side-effects were to be expected. Sebastian, I'm not mad. Please don't think I would be. Once I see you again, and I _swear _I will, I'm going to spend the rest of my life beside you.

"If we don't have time, we don't have time. What do I have to do?"

The Undertaker came a little too close for comfort. He leaned down face inches from mine, "Are you willing to relive your darkest moment? What would you do, how far will you go to get your precious Sebastian back?"

I put my hand right over his face and pushed him back. "I'll do whatever I need to. Now cough it up."

The Undertaker finally gave up toying with me, "Well, first things first, you need a hallucinogen. One only the Shinigami world can produce. I happen to have some, of course, and this particular drug is designed to make you relive your darkest moments, complete with physical pain and copying your actions from that time. You'll have no control, and the only way you'll get into the Shinigami world is if you show you do. You have to maintain absolute control over yourself as you relive your darkest memories. Are you sure you're willing to do that?"

"How could I not be? I need Sebastian. I have no choice."

Sebastian…I'm coming for you. Hang in there. Please.

Don't leave.

-x-X-x- -x-X-x-

My mansion…my home….they're burning. My parents…where are they? I need to find them.

Oh my god…father! Father!

Mother…no…!

No..! Don't take me away from them…stop! Leave me alone! No! Stop! STOP! What are you doing? No! LET GO OF ME! LET GO! NOW! Stop it! _**STOP IT, NOW!**_

Sebastian…where are you? Please…save me…!

What do you mean you don't want my soul?

What? No! Don't go! Don't throw me away! I don't want to be abandoned…not again…not by you….

Please don't leave me alone…don't push us apart Sebastian…I love you so much, don't leave me….

I _need_ to find you Sebastian…I'll do anything….

Please…don't leave….


	3. Chapter 3

I opened my eyes. I saw marble flooring, and I felt a bit of a chill come over me.

I heard the Undertaker's voice coming from everywhere at once: _Good job, Earl Phantomhive. You made it. I'm impressed. Now then, let's hope your dear Sebastian isn't dead, and that you don't get him killed._

The voice stopped. I stood up, shivering. My legs were weak…my hands didn't have the strength to grip my elbows as I folded my arms together.

_Heheh…have fun turning into a demon, by the way._ The voice came back for a few last words.

Oh…my…god…

This was _not_ good.

-x-X-x- -x-X-x-

It was hard, but I kept my tears back. Ciel would never want to see me cry. Thinking about how I'd never see him again wasn't doing anything for either of us. He'd never want me to be sad, anyway.

_But it was so freaking HARD._ I had lost him for good. He'd never find his way back to me. And it was partly my fault for not taking better care of him…

No. No. I couldn't start blaming myself for his death. He'd call me an idiot for making myself cry, and he'd be absolutely right. I did everything I could for him, and I just had to be happy that he'd be able to live now, even if it would mean forcing him to live without me.

If I didn't get killed for this, there was technically a chance that I'd see him, right? A slim one, but one that was there, right? The chance of me seeing him would increase if I worked on an argument in my defense, and it would keep me from crying if I focused.

So, why shouldn't they kill me?

Because it was wrong to kill me for granting someone a life. Because I had done nothing wrong, and they couldn't guarantee that Ciel's incarnation would have anything wrong with them. Because there was even a chance that all I had done was give my bocchan demonic powers. And killing me because it would mean they had to do extra work was wrong when I really could have improved his life.

That…was actually…pretty solid…maybe I had a chance if I said that before they tried to execute me. I could say that I should at least be able to see him one last time before I died because, after all, I had given the life he currently possessed.

My heart sped up, detecting the chance I'd see Ciel one last time and clutching onto it. If he was alive, if he was O.K., I'd see it for myself. I'd done all I could for him, and if it paid off, it was worth all this trouble. If I could keep them from killing me, I might be able to get them to reunite me with him, and if they decided to execute me, the chances I'd get them to let me see him were even better. It felt like such a reality, like I'd see him again no matter what now…I guess telling myself I'd lost him for good had made even the slightest chance of meeting him seem huge.

_Ciel…I miss you so much…I want to let you go, so you can continue with your life, but I need you so badly…every step I take towards setting you free is another step closer to total, dismal depression and probably even towards death. But if I loved you at all, I'd do what's best for you. I'd let you go. I just wish I didn't have to. I wish I knew for sure you'd come back to me if I set you free, because even though I love you and I'll always come back to you, I have no clue how you feel, and I'm so sorry I never bothered to ask…I'm so sorry I never had the guts to tell you how _I_ feel…._

_Ciel…I miss you. Please, please….come back. I _need_ you._

I can hear footsteps, and the lock opens again. It's Will again.

"I thought you might like to hear the fate of your ex-master."

"He's _still_ my master. Not even death can change that Will."

"Well, then, anyway…his soul found its way back into his original body. Since there was actually very little wrong with his corpse, his soul was able to be revived. And now he's turning into a demon. We're preparing to change the binding of his Magic Play and extend it as we speak. If he lives, we're thinking that you'll still be severely punished, but you may escape execution."

"Tell whoever's debating on that decision that it's a little odd to kill someone when I might have saved his life and granted him super-natural powers to match. Doesn't it seem wrong to kill someone for helping someone else?"

"We've already considered it. We might not kill you, as I said. Now then, I'll have to go help with the work on his Magic Play. Let's hope for your sake he lives." And he was gone just as quickly as he arrived.

Ciel was alive, with his original body…if he survived, I'd probably be able to resume life with him….

_Hang in there Ciel. I know you can. You're strong inside. I'm waiting to be beside you again…please don't crush my hopes…I know I've put you through a lot, but please hang in there._

He'd be a demon after this. I'd be bound to him by our contract forever. I'd be beside him for eternity. It was mind-boggling to think about…but I'd never want it any other way.

Ciel, I hope you're okay. I've put you through a lot. I know I have. But please forgive me because spending the rest of my life with you won't be any fun if you hate me…

-X-x-X- -X-x-X-

I got on my feet. I braced myself on the wall. I was coughing up blood, and my muscles were weak.

I had to find a directory. Or count on my navigation skills. If what the Undertaker said was true, most of the shinigami would be busy, if not all. It would take most of them to re-cover my Magic Play, but if they peaked inside, I'd be in trouble. They'd find out that I was here and without doubt try to capture me if they found out why. But people were still dying and work still needed to get done, so guards would be at an all-time minimum. This was my best chance to save Sebastian. I had to move…

But my legs didn't want to support me. My arms were exhausted. My chest couldn't muster the strength to keep coughing.

Before I even knew what hit me, I was on the ground, and everything went black.

-x-X-x- -x-X-x-

I woke up, opening my eyes. It was bright when I had collapsed, and it was dark now. But I hadn't been noticed. If they were done with the re-binding, they would have stumbled onto me by now. But I couldn't assume my opportunity was as golden as before. And I had to move now.

I stood up easily. There was blood on the floor, but that didn't bug me. I couldn't clean it up anyway, so why bother about it? I had to find Sebastian. He should be my priority. If I didn't find him soon, he could be in big trouble.

Wait…what if the lack of commotion was because they were starting his punishment?

I bolted off, looking for the nearest thing that resembled a prison-like area. That was where they'd be keeping him.

I just hoped I wasn't too late.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm SO sorry it took me so long to update and post a new chapter, but my muse went on holiday and spent every last vacation day they could, AND the sick days. School started, and the ensuing flood of homework and all the work my mom asked me to do for her to help her through her first year of teaching was a serious drag on my time. Anime and school reading were both seriously side-tracked me too. I'm sorry, but I honestly COULD NOT WRITE for the past month or so since posting this. My life has just been crammed and cramped with way too much stuff to do. I've been going to bed at 12AM and getting back up at 6AM. And every second was filled with work.**

-x-X-x-X-x-

I waited in my cell. They had taken their few days to finalize my punishment. It wouldn't be long before I figured out what they were going to do to me. Ciel was a demon by now. My only hope was that they decided I deserved to live.

_What if he didn't make it through the change?_

No. No. _NO. _I refused to entertain that thought. He was a lot stronger than he looked physically. He could take a hit or two. He _had _taken a hit or two. Besides, if he was dead…no…he wouldn't die on me twice, would he? It didn't make sense for him to re-incarnate only to die, and it didn't make sense for them to change his Magic Play's binding if he died.

Ciel, if you can hear me, I'm waiting. And all I want right now is you. Even just looking at you would be enough to bring me to tears of joy. So please, you may not understand how I feel, but understand that you're the world to me. You mean everything to me, and I can't take another day without you. I'd honestly consider dying than being separated from you another day. Hurry to me, please…_please_, Ciel. You're all I need right now.

Will came down the hall to my cell, "Sebastian. We have our decision."

"And?" I replied dryly.

"And…you're _not_ going to like it."

-X-x-X-x-X-

I kept running. I was hungry and thirsty, my body was completely depleted of all its nutrition after the change, and I still pretty much needed a map to get through this freakin' _palace_, but I hadn't run into too many shinigami, so I had cased to entire first two floors for him with no luck.

At least now I knew where he wasn't. And at least I hadn't found him dead or dying, or a tombstone with his name on it. And now I could move onto the third floor, although,…they _had_ to be done with re-covering my Magic Play. That meant that the shinigami would be back in force. And that was just another new obstacle. Along with the fact that now they had their hands free to punish Sebastian.

I _had _to find him…I _had _to. I _needed_ him so much right now…. If I didn't find him soon, I'd crack wide open and have a meltdown. Sebastian had let me be reincarnated, and what was that for if not to find him again and continue our life together? I had _so _much I _needed_ to tell him, about how I felt, about how I needed him now more than ever just to breathe. I had no idea how important he was to me until I finally lost him, but I was NOT going to sit back and let him go without a fight.

I got through three halls without an issue. Quick, and quietly. But the fourth hallway had a door you needed to open to get into it. And it had the biggest freakin' lock on it (10 different bolts!) I had ever seen.

But I stepped closer. The door was…_not _locked? I opened it, carefully, and pleased to see it didn't make a sound as I moved it. I entered a bit, quiet, observing cell-like structures.

I was about to turn into a new aisle, just hidden by the edge of the one I was at.

'…_You're _not _going to like it.'_

The voice sounded…so…_familiar._

'_What? Whatever you're going to do, just do it already.'_

I nearly gasped and blew my cover. It was Sebastian's voice I heard right then! Sebastian!

He was okay! He was _alright!_

'_They want Ciel's soul. They want to execute him.'_

'_WHAT? WHY?'_

'_There's no need to yell. The reason being is that if he does continue to be a demon, he'll likely crave human souls which means we'll have to not only keep lengthening his Magic Play, but disposing of plenty of human souls as well. Not only that, since you ensured his re-incarnation once, who's to say you won't try to have him re-incarnated again? We don't want to take the risk of having to do all of this work. It's extremely painful, time-consuming, and it costs us tons of souls as well as the risk of ruining the Magic Play all together.'_

'_So you want to kill him because you're LAZY!'_

'_No. We don't want to kill him just because we're lazy. We want to execute him because during this last operation on his Magic Play we lost 1,681,567 souls. Do you know how many seconds are in a day, Sebastian? Do you?'_

'_No.'_

'_86,400. And someone drops dead almost once per second. We can't afford to lose a soul. If it gets re-incarnated, it could cost us two souls that we have to dispose of, meaning that it's now out of the cycle we put souls into to ensure that life stays balanced. Those souls don't stay in the trash either. They either go to demons, or in rare cases, return as criminals. People like serial killers. People who do nothing but hurt others and cause trouble. Now consider that in order to change Ciel, it put more than a million criminals into the world. Maybe not now, but eventually. Madame Red, Ciel's aunt, she had a corrupted soul herself. And look what she did.'_

'_Then why don't you kill EVERY demon?'_

'_Because normally, a Demon's Magic play lengthens itself on its own. No problem. But Ciel's Magic Play is originally a _human's _Magic Play. It doesn't do that. I told you from the start you messed up BIG. And guess what? You DID. And they want Ciel's soul for it.'_

'_Then why did you bother changing his Play?'_

'_Because if we didn't, his soul would have been void! A Magic Play requires an exact match to the person it belongs to before it ends!'_

Sebastian was silent for a bit.

'_How determined are you to get his soul?'_

'_VERY. _Very _very. Why?'_

'_What can you do to change his Magic Play's into a demon's Play?'_

'_W…What do you mean?'_

'_Is there ANYTHING you can do to make it take care of itself? To make it behave just like a demon's?'_

'_Sebastian…it needs his soul. It's that simple. He has a human soul in a demon's body. He'll never be able to change that.'_

'_If we stop his heart and give it his soul, can we revive him?'_

'_Even a demon needs at least half a soul.'_

'_Would…would it accept the soul if it changed from the way it originally was?'_

'_Sebastian, _what _are you getting at?'_

'…_A…Abu Rhawan.'_

The person Sebastian was talking to gasped. There was dead silence.

Um…

What was Abu Rhawan?


	5. Chapter 5

**SOORY THIS TOOK me SO long **_**AGAIN. **_**I got swamped with 4 projects in a row and reading every night and tons of homework and NO MUSE. Not to mention I got sick too. And, just so you know, this is the final chapter. Sorry if its lame, but this story needs to close soon or it'll be the whole school year before I can pick it up again. Hopefully over winter, spring, and summer break, I'll be able to conjure something else ready to be published.**

'_Abu Rhawan? Are you SERIOUS? He's your _master_, your _lord_. You can't _possibly _think he'd consent. He's an _earl_, for Christ's sake! It's taboo, as far as society is concerned, and he'd _never_ salvage his already dwindling family reputation if someone found out. He _knows_ that, and Abu Rhawan has to come strait from both of the hearts of the people involved, no regrets and no impurity. It would be an eternal bond. You'd be doomed to spend forever with him. Can you take that? Do you really love him that way? That much? Honestly… Sebastian…the mere thought is sort of…disturbing…two men doing that….Are you sure it will even work if both parties are male?'_

'_I know what I feel for him! And it's the heart that the bond comes from! We'll both either be mercifully killed if we fail, or we'll be together forever if we really are pure of heart.'_

'_Sebastian, are you sure he feels the same? If you feel that way, but he doesn't, the bond won't be formed and you'll spend eternity knowing he doesn't love you.'_

'_Will, it's the only way if you want his soul! If he doesn't, he doesn't, in which case you just take his soul anyway. What's it to you?'_

Will! William! Grell's boss! That was why his voice sounded familiar!

Wait…'from the heart', 'that way', 'love', 'taboo'….'will even work when both parties are male'…

Um…what were they talking about?

'_Sebastian…I sort of like you…as a _friend! _A friend…anyway…Ciel's soul…why are you so attached to it? Why not…oh wait…that's right…you were supposed to eat it.'_

'_Will, didn't you hear me? I said I knew what I feel for him! I love him.'_

Dead silence.

He loved me? For real? Oh my God…

'_Sebastian, if you loved him, you'd let him go. You know eternity is a curse, and you know why there aren't any ex-human Demons any more. They all went insane because they couldn't take it-'_

'_Ciel accepted the fact that I was going to eat his soul within a few years like it was nothing! He's _always _calmly sat back and accepted it if there was nothing else he could do without even trying to put up a fight! But he's not weak anymore! He's a Demon! And I'm not letting him just passively sit back and let you take his soul away! Abu Rhawan will merge our souls together like they're one, effectively changing his soul. You get what you want, we both get what we want. If you don't like how, that's your deal, because whether or not you want his soul the next time I see him, I'm offering that bond to him! I…I know he loves me back! Maybe it's our Contract…maybe it was the way he acted before he died…maybe I always knew but was too scared to point it out to him…but I want to be there for him now that I'm the one who put this curse on him. And nothing you can say or do will change my mind Will.'_

I ran from my cover, strait to Sebastian. I didn't care that Will was right there. I threw my arms around his neck, pulling him down to me and placing his lips on mine in our first kiss.

I had been waiting for this my whole life. I had never been happier. Just felling him close to me was a rush of something I had almost forgotten how to feel… something I would have forgotten how to feel without him…. Love.

Our kiss finally ended, Sebastian's shocked look cute on his bang-covered face. Will froze in place at such an overt display of affection.

"Ciel…you were hear the whole time?" Sebastian was stunned.

"I heard the conversation. About Abu Rhawan. Sebastian, I've never been more miserable in my life than I have been now without you…"

Sebastian took me in his arms, hugging me and taking me into the still-opened cell with his embrace.

I had lost so much…. My parents… Madame Red… my happiness… I had given away Elizabeth…. I had almost lost the estate after London got reduced to ashes… I had lost myself, my life… I had forgotten how to love without Sebastian…. And with eternity before me, I stood to loose a lot more. Eventually, I'd loose it all. Sebastian would be the only thing I had left, the only thing that would stay.

And I had almost lost him, the one who had kept me alive and well all these years, the one who had faithfully served me all these years…

I wasn't going to loose him. Not now, not ever. _Nobody _would _ever_ take him away.

I felt a wave run through me of some dark, primal, powerful energy. A dark, deadly protectiveness for Sebastian that struck the very core of my heart and dominated my blood and my mind. I could see Sebastian's shock as my eyes glowed the pink sparkle of a Demon's true power. Sebastian's Demonic form was a raven. I wondered-

And then it happened. My question was answered. Will was suddenly 100 times bigger, and my hands were black pinchers ready to grab at the hem of his pants and tickle him to death as I crawled up his leg.

My Demonic form was a scorpion.

Suddenly, a piercing ringing shot through my ears. Will climbed the cell door in a panic, screaming like a fire alarm. I could barely make out the words:

"I HATE SCORPIONS!"

"Woah, woah, hey! He's my…boyfriend, now, I guess… and you _better _not say you hate him." Sebasian loyally stood up for me.

"I SAID I HATE SCORPIONS! NOT HIM! NOW MAKE HIM GO _AWAY_!"

"Geez… okay, okay, Mr. I'm-a-little-schoolgirl,-hear-me-scream. Come here." Sebastian held out his hand, and I realized the 'come here' was directed at me. I crawled over to his outstretched hand and settled down in his palm, smiling inside as my crawling tickled him and made him laugh.

Will came down from the cell door, still clinging to it as Sebastian held me out towards him.

"Now then, Will…I think Ciel and I will be leaving. The next time you see us, we'll be consummated lovers. You won't tell anyone we've escaped until we're out of here. And if you do…."

Sebastian moved me even closer to Will, and I got the message. I clicked my pinchers and flicked my tail at him to drive in his fear. And it worked, even though the scream made my ears ring.

We left the prison room, I turned back into my human-esk form, and led us out the way I had come, out to the entrance of the Shinigami's palace.

"So…what now?"

Sebastian smiled, "Now…close your eyes. You're a Demon. Now that you're outside the Shinigami's walls, you can simply will yourself back to London. Here, give me your hands."

I closed my eyes, willing us both to go to London, and feeling Sebastian's lips on mine as we left. I tenderly put my hands on his chest as we traveled back together, and when we finally broke our kiss, we opened our eyes.

The Undertaker dropped a coffin lid right on his foot and didn't flinch after what he just saw. We walked out of his shop without even hearing a word from him.

-x-X-x-X-x-

Sebastian carried me to my room, laying me on my bed. His smile beamed down on me as he leaned in for another kiss. He tucked my hair behind my ear, and I did the same for him.

"So…what is all his Abu Rhawan stuff? I kept on hearing about it but I never got a clear definition."

Sebastian's smile widened, "Demons are different from humans. For Demons, we live forever. We have to deal with the choices we make for the rest of eternity. We make connections forever, and it's rare for Demons to forget about another Demon they've met. Because of that, when Demons mate, it's for life. In other words…eternity. And before Demons can do that, their souls have to actually mesh, to ensure they're going to be compatible for the long-haul. If it doesn't work, both souls dissolve away, and the Demons die. The part where we try to mesh our souls, and when they actually do mesh is called Abu Rhawan. To perform it, the Demons have to feed from each other. The souls will fuse as they pass by each other. They'll become one, essentially. So if one of us dies, both of us do. You gonna be okay with that, Ciel? Because if you want, we can wait… there's no need to rush."

I sat up, kissing his neck, "No…I'm sure. If we're not meant to be, I'd rather die than loose you or not be able to be with you. I mean it. I don't want to loose you."

I felt him lean his head down, "Ciel…you never will. I'll always be here for you. _Always. _I love you, and I promise I'll never let anybody separate us. You mean the world to me. I will cherish you, _forever_."

I smiled. "Sounds like you're ready for Abu Rhawan then. And I'll tell you right now…I feel the exact same way. I can't remember the last time I felt any sort of love this intense."

His lithe, powerful neck was pressed right against my lips, and I slowly felt his lips press onto my throat.

-x-X-x-X-x-

We walked up the steps of the Shinigami palace, hand in hand. Will had scheduled to meet us in the room with all the Magic Plays.

We opened the large doors into that chamber, finding Will with an enormous Magic Play upon the floor.

"Well… have you two…"

"Been joined by Abu Rhawan? Yep. We're already making arrangements to spend our honey-moon in Paris." Sebastian answered.

"Ok then… Earl Phantomhive, you probably saw Sebastian's life play before your eyes once before, and he's seen your life play out for him too. That was because…well… see for yourself." He gestured to the title of the Magic Play.

Sebastian and I read it off: _The Magic Play of Sebastian Michaelis and Earl Ciel Phantomhive_

"The Magic Play you both had fused with your souls. And it wants ½ of each soul it's got now. So, you'll both have to touch it at the same time, or it'll take both halves out of one person, leaving one of you soulless. Be VERY careful."

Sebastian and I crouched before the Play, and gently, we synchronized our touch.

A small tug ran through me. I felt Sebastian's soul swarming inside me, but my own was gone for now. It'd have to grow back from Sebastian to me.

We got up, "That's all?" I asked.

"Yep. That's all I wanted. You two should recuperate soon. And well… just so you know… Grell's a bit upset that 'Sebas-chan' and Ciel are together now. So watch out. He's after you, Ciel." Will warned.

"Oh please. I'd kick his sorry butt if he comes anywhere near Sebastian. And it's not just me he'd be going up against anyway." I looked up at Sebastian.

_Nope. I'd back you up 100%. _He smiled at me.

We left the Palace, winding up at the Thames River.

We locked eyes. A gentle flame spread through us.

_We'll be together. Forever. Not even death will do us part._

I tossed my arms around Sebastian's neck, and kissed him, daring the paparazzi to snap a few shots. Nobody would believe it anyway. Bites for them, eh?

In an age where not even boy-girl couples kissed in public, here we were, making out in front of everyone. But everyone around us seemed to vanish. It was only him and me as far as I was concerned.

And nothing could have made me happier.


End file.
